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SPOILER ALERT!

This article contains details from the manga that are not covered in the anime. Proceed with caution.

Shin-Ah (シンア Shina?) is the current Seiryuu (Blue Dragon in english), one of the four Dragon Warriors and he possessed the blood of the blue dragon deity. His power lies in his eyes where he has the power to cause hallucinations and paralyze an opponent with his gaze. He became the third person and the second dragon to join Yona and Hak on their journey.


Born and raised in a village that carries the bloodline of the Blue Dragon; Shin-Ah was raised by the previous Dragon Warrior Ao after his mother committed suicide after he was born when it was discovered that he would be the next blue dragon. Growing up nameless and shunned from his villages because of his abilities as the Blue Dragon; he was taught how to fight and control his capabilities by Ao. After Ao died when he was young he had no other friends than a squirrel whom he named Ao after his father figure. Similar to Kija, Shin-Ah also grew up isolated from the outside world and thought that his dragon abilities were a curse.

However, after meeting Yona and the group who asked for his cooperation and also to become his friend. Yona was the first person to give him a purpose and even named him "Shin-Ah" (which means light of the moon) after he saved her life. During his journey with Yona and the others he starts to feel more comfortable around them to the point that he is able to take off his mask and them see his face and eyes without fear of being judged.

Appearance[]

Shin-Ah Appearance

Shin-Ah is a fairly tall, handsome and attractive young man who wears a horned skull mask over half of his face. Before departing on his journey with Yona, he had two bells attached to the left horn of his mask.[3] He also has a big detachable white fur piece that he usually attaches to the back of his mask, which covers his short blue hair. Without the mask, he has beautiful golden dragon eyes, the source of his dragon ability, that are highlighted by red facial markings, both of which come from being the Seiryuu.[4]He also has particularly pale skin, even compared to Yona, likely due to his living the majority of his life in a cave.

He wears a black robe with white fur trimming over a blue turtleneck shirt along with two decorative necklaces. He also wears finger-less black gloves and carries his sword across his back. He is also very unique. When going to places with a lot of people, he tries to atleast blend in more by using a whit cloth to cover his eyes rather than his skull mask.

Personality[]

Growing up in complete isolation, he suffers from Social Anxiety. Shin-Ah has almost no social skills whatsoever. He is very quiet, shy, sensitive, self conscious, timid, apathetic, and hardly ever speaks, usually replying to questions with nods and gestures, or just blank, awkward stares. Because of this, he is often misunderstood by other people, thinking he is suspicious and even frightening. However, he has an extremely kind and caring personality, even towards those in his village who hate and fear him.[5] He deeply cares for Yona and the rest of the group, and has a unique bond with a squirrel that he named Ao. He also absolutely hates the cold, often using his fur head-piece to keep himself warm.

Shin-Ah fears his powers and refuses to use them, calling himself "cursed"[6] and a monster.[7] He is afraid of the destruction they could cause and the people that could be hurt, including himself. He always keeps his mask on to prevent people from looking into his eyes and being affected by his "curse". However, it is suggested that some girls in Chapter 65 of the manga see his eyes. One of the girls asks her friend if she had "seen the eyes of the man in the mask?" She went on to say that 'They're so beautiful they suck you in."

Shin-Ah can also be very protective of Yona and his fellow warriors. During the Water Tribe Nadai crisis, Yona is assaulted by a nadai addict when being used as bait.[8] Shin-Ah struggled with keeping calm over this, wanting to cut off the man's arm for grabbing Yona's arm.  Kija had a similar reaction, but Shin-Ah showed way less restraint. People harming Yona in any way seems to trigger a sudden fit of anger and causes him to occasionally outburst. However, these outbursts seem to be rare, and only happen when Yona is in danger or is being disrespected. Yona, herself, helps him express himself more. He is determined to protect Yona and her honor. He doesn't tolerate disrespect towards Yona and would gladly kill if harm comes to her. Shin-Ah shows extreme loyalty to his fellow Dragon Warriors, as well as Hak and especially Yona.

Additionally, Shin-Ah is a forgiving person and didn't hold any grudge against the people of his village after all of the heartache he through. This shows his strength in character for which it means that even though he became a victim of circumstance, he decided not to let it consume him, but instead moved past it.

Background[]

Baby Shin-Ah

Baby Shin-Ah

Shin-Ah was born into a broken world without a family; his mother committed suicide after seeing that her child was the next Seiryuu, or Blue Dragon[9], and his father most likely fled as well, not having been revealed to readers. The rest of the villagers immediately put a mask on him for fear of his powers and made him remain nameless, only being called "the new Seiryuu". As the village law instructs, Shin-Ah was put in the care of the previous generation's Seiryuu, whose name was Ao. They both lived together apart from the rest of the village so that the villagers didn't have to live in fear of them. Despite this, Ao, and little Shin-Ah tagging along behind, would protect the village whenever bandits or soldiers with ill intentions came near.[10] Ao told Shin-Ah that he must learn swordsmanship to protect the village and never use his dragon ability, for it reflects it's power to a lesser degree back on the user.[11] Being forced to live apart and being hated by the villagers, Shin-Ah wondered as a child if he could ever have any friends. When he attempted to befriend other village children on one occasion, Ao yelled at him, saying that it was impossible since he was a Seiryuu. As time went on, Ao starting losing his powers and becoming more and more blind as his incredible sight abilities transferred to Shin-Ah. Eventually, Ao became completely blind. He was incredibly happy, falling to his knees and crying out that he was finally a regular human. As they were leaving the battlefield they were in that night, Shin-Ah found some bells dropped by bandits and wore them because he realized that he could guide his mentor with their jingling, which he found very pretty. However, having lost his abilities, Ao died, before which he cried and apologized to Shin-Ah because he was going to leave him all alone. In his complete loneliness, Shin-Ah continued to wear the bells on his mask, hoping to be "found".

Shin-Ah killed all of the soldiers

Shin-Ah killed all of the soldiers

Soon after, a large group of soldiers approached the village. Being only four years old at the time, Shin-Ah could not protect the village yet. Despite Ao's warning, he had no choice but to use his dragon ability, not having learned any skills with a sword yet. He annihilated the entire troop all on his own, but collapsed in their midst - paralyzed - as a result of his power's curse. From this horrifying realization of the small child's immense abilities, the villagers soon feared him even more. They moved their village to the mountains of the Fire Tribe[12] and isolated Shin-Ah in the deepest corner of it. Shin-Ah lived for many years like this, only having a small squirrel as company, which he named Ao to pay respects to his late mentor and only friend.

Years later, Yona and her party, at that point consisting of her, Hak, Yoon, and Kija arrive at his hidden village to search for him. They soon get lost in the maze-like cave system, and Yona soon wandered off. A villager grabs her arm and tricks her into following him down into the depths of the caves where there is less air and no light, and would likely kill her. She tried to break free, but failed. Just as she had given up hope, Shin-ah appeared and scared the villager off. He calmed her down and led her up into the passage where her friends are looking for her. Then he disappeared once more into his secret passageway, leaving Yona perplexed. Confused himself by their presence and Yona's strange familiarity, he retreats back to his own room.

Shortly after, Yona and Yoon enter his room and he automatically unsheathes his sword to drive them away. However, Yona tries to warm up to him by talking about Ao and eventually, exchanging formalities, though he is unable to give a name because he doesn’t have one. She asks him to be her ally, but he declines her offer and points the sword on her, which he soon stops after realizing that he can’t hurt her. Yona tells him that she is a friend to convince him, but he reasons that he is cursed with the dragon power and demands her to leave. With that, Yona gives up on him and makes his request, but not before telling him that she doesn’t care if he has terrifying curse at all. As she goes away, he feels regretful on his decision as he remembers how much he desires to have a friend.

Seiryuu's face revealed

The Seiryuu's face revealed

Suddenly, an earthquake occurs and blocks the exit. He goes outside to help everyone trapped together with him; however, the villagers become scared upon seeing him and one of them knocks his mask away, which accidentally reveals his dragon eyes. He closes them right away to avoid spreading fear, picks up his fallen mask and puts it on back to his face again. He then moves towards Kija and digs the wall behind him with a pick. Kija tells him that he should be opening up the entrance instead of the wall, but he clarifies that the wall is easy to dig and it will lead them to the exit faster. Upon hearing that, everyone helps him to dig that certain location. However, with the gradual depletion of air inside, Yona is no longer able to breathe properly and he takes her in his room. He is keeping her comfortable when she bursts into tears and confesses how she had a small world similar to his. Because of that, she finds it unfair for him to be in such world and by then, she promises him that both of them will get out of darkness and find a place where they can do the things they want. At first, he doubts her, especially as he thinks of no such place where they can be free; however, he realizes that this place is actually by Yona’s side.[13] Eventually, they are freed when Hak destroys the wall from the opposite side of the spot they are digging.

Yona invites him the second time around and without any hesitation, he accepts her offer. Before leaving, he bows to his fellow villagers to show gratitude towards them. As he turns around to where his friends are, the bells on his horned mask falls off, but he choose not to take them anymore as he believes that he will be now alright even without it.[14]

Seiryuu is named Shin-Ah

The Seiryuu gains his name

On their way on finding Ryokuryuu, Kija collapses out of exhaustion and they stop traveling to take some break. Unable to track the green dragon without Kija’s senses, the group’s attention goes to him as he is a dragon warrior, but, as he has no knowledge about the full extent of his powers, he doesn’t have a clue about how to find Ryokuryuu, which Kija greatly pities. Because of this, Kija tells him that he will teach him everything and he can consider him as his “big brother”. Appreciating his concern towards him, he goes to a nearby river to catch a fish so that Kija can have a speedy recovery, though the latter freaks out as he thought that he dislikes what he said and is killing himself.

After the fish is cooked, they have a meal and during that time, Yona asks him if he needs a cloak as the only thing he is wearing is his fur. He declines and thanks her while calling her by her name. Yona is surprised to hear her name as she is only called Princess by everyone up until then, and with that, she asks him what he would like to be his name as he is only referred to as “Seiryuu”. Unable to think of an answer, he curls up inside his fur and dismisses the inquiry. That night, he goes to a meadow field and basks under the moonlight. Yona and Hak arrive, and he receives the name “Shin-Ah” from Yona, which means person of the moonlight. He gladly accepts his new name and promises that he will cherish it forever.[15]

Awa Arc[]

Arriving at Awa Port, everyone except Hak stays near the port town to avoid being noticed by the officers as they all attract attention. Shin-Ah and Kija can feel the presence of Ryokuryuu, but is unable to pinpoint his exact location as he is jumping around a lot, though they eventually detect him in the direction of the sea. The next day, the two of them spots a pirate ship where they feel Ryokuryuu again, but the presence quickly disappears. Kija and the others decide to go to Awa and he is asked to hold down the fort.

Hak, Kija and Shin-Ah vs

Hak, Kija and Shin-Ah vs. the Awa Pirates

After some troubles concerning Hak’s time with the Ryokuryuu, whose name is Jae-ha, Shin-Ah joins everyone again when they are making an alliance with the Awa pirates. Gi-Gan becomes curious about him and takes off his mask, which makes him immediately cover his eyes in reflex. He is still forced to show his face until Yoon pleads the pirate captain to stop. Gi-Gan then tells them that she will not let them join her crew unless they prove themselves to be useful and thus, she makes her men to gauge their abilities. Shin-ah, Hak and Kija passes the test effortlessly, however, it took Yoon and Yona some time until they can join the pirates. That night, he sees seven ships docking at the port and informs the captain, Yona and Jae-Ha about it. After a few days pass by, Jae-Ha gets information about how Yang Kum-Ji abducts people and they hold a meeting. During their discussion, Yona proposes that she will blend in to Kum-Ji’s merchandise in order to inform them the ship where they are holding the captives. She suggests to everyone that she will launch a firework and Shin-Ah can help them by telling the exact location where it is launched.

Shin-Ah while he is fighting Kum-Ji's men

Shin-Ah while he is fighting Kum-Ji's men

The following evening, they wait for the ships to embark before carrying out the plan. Minutes before the battle begins, Shin-Ah notices how Jae-Ha has bags under his eyes, which then leads for Kija and Hak to observe his face forcefully. Defeated, Jae-Ha admits how he is worried about Yona and he also shows concern towards Yun. Kija and Hak tell him that Yoon will be alright, to which Shin-Ah agrees to as well.

When the enemy finally moves, they infiltrate their ships and in due time, Shin-Ah sees the signal, and he and Jae-Ha goes to where it was fired. Just as they arrive to the ship, they stop the mercenaries trying to kill Yona. In the end, they win against Kum-Ji and they celebrate the town’s freedom all day long. They soon leave Awa after saying goodbye to everyone and as they walk away, Yona regrets that she is unable to say goodbye to Jae-Ha. However, Kija informs her that he is with them and Shin-Ah cuts the tree where Jae-Ha is hiding. From then on, Jae-Ha becomes their ally.

In the middle of their journey, Yoon gets a love potion called the “Hakuryuu’s Scale”. Jae-Ha gets his hands on the potion and he attempts to use it to Yona, but instead, he accidentally throws some to Shin-Ah, making him charmed towards him. Shin-Ah spent all his day following Jae-Ha until the effects wore off.

Fire Tribe Arc[]

Zeno plays with Shin-Ah

Shin-Ah is bumped by Zeno while they are playing

After a day when Zeno joins them, Shin-Ah is suddenly dragged into a game initiated by him that involves making each other warm. As he despises the cold, Shin-Ah plays with him and shortly, Kija also joins their game. They are stopped by Yoon when he announces that they will go to Ik-Soo to know more about the “sword and shield” mentioned in the prophecy. However, when they reach the priest’s home, they learn that they must wait for some time before the sword and shield appear to them. The next day, they follow Yoon to the Katan Village and help him in distributing the rations he has brought. During this time, government officials show up to collect taxes from the village and Yoon hurries them to hide. As the situation goes worse between the civilians and the officials, Jae-Ha intervenes and eventually, Hak, who takes Shin-Ah’s fur to hide his identity. From that point on, they form a bandit group and call themselves as “The Dark Dragon and the Happy Hungry Bunch”.

Yona comforts Shin-Ah

Shin-Ah as he is being comforted by Yona

As they protect the Fire Tribe villages, they disperse in different areas, and Shin-Ah is left with Yona. While they are on the lookout, Yona, who still doesn't want to give up on learning swordsmanship, tries to steal his sword, which makes him to run away from her. Yona gives up and just asks him if she can watch him practice, to which he agrees to. While he is showing his skills, Yona asks him why he decided to learn swordsmanship when he has the dragon’s eyes. He remains silent at first, but then tells her that his instructor told him that he shouldn't use his dragon powers because of its effects. Yona wonders what kind of power he has, and from that, he started remembering all the bad things that happened during his childhood.[16] As he trembles, Yona hugs him and apologizes for bringing up the topic. She then tries to lift his mask away, but he goes away from her to prevent her from seeing his eyes. Yona tells him that she just wants to look at his eyes while talking to him and she looks forward to a day where she can see him smile. Their talk abruptly ends when a kid comes up to Yona to request some food.

Shin-Ah tries to smile

Shin-Ah tries to smile

Shin-Ah thinks of what Yona said about smiling and he tries to create one, though a little forcefully.[17] Because of his preoccupation of this thought, he doesn't notice the two kids that approach him, who then steal his sword away. He tries to catch up with them, but he suddenly hears Yona’s plea for help in his mind, and as he turns around, he sees her being carried away by two bandits. Mad, he rushes to her while beating up some other bandits along the way. However, as he is unarmed and outnumbered, he loses to them and is stabbed in the right side of his stomach.[18] As he watches Yona being taken away while crying out for his safety, he uses his dragon powers.

Shin-Ah cries

Shin-Ah cries as Yona tells that he can stay with her

In an instant, his opponents fall to his gaze and are under a hallucination. He feasts on everyone’s suffering as he rips them out via illusion and gradually loses himself to his power. Unbeknownst to him, Yona is already talking to him and tries to stop him from further using his ability, but as she continues on doing so, he also envelops her with his power. Despite that, Yona still tries to bring him back to his senses and when he finally hears her call his name, he snaps out from his power and is soon paralyzed. Yona tries to help him, but he tells her to go away as he is a monster, which makes him depreciate his self as he fears that Yona will hate him.[19] However, she still stays and tells him that he is a human who simply wants to control his power. She suggests that he should accept everything about his power and then encourages him to get stronger with her. Shin-Ah is glad that Yona didn't push him away and swears to himself that as long as Yona calls for him, he will follow her until he can be proud of the name she bestowed on him.[20] Later, he is treated by Yoon and cheered by Kija and Zeno to get back to health when they return from another village.

A few days later, he notices that the sky lit up through the tent during one night[21] and goes outside, only to find soldiers heading to their way which alerts Yona. Eventually, the matter is dealt with and after Yona lets Kan Tae-Jun continue their work, they go to Kai Empire to find a crop that will help the Fire Tribe.

They reach the Senri Village, though they forge their identities as traveling entertainers to avoid suspicion. In there, women flock around them and Shin-Ah becomes scared when they try to take his mask off. As they stay at the village, they learn that the soldiers from Sen are passing by near their area. They go to where the soldiers are seen and Shin-Ah spots some Fire Tribe soldiers. Afterwards, they divide themselves into two groups and Shin-Ah joins Jae-Ha, Yoon and Yona as they continue to watch the vicinity of the village. Shin-Ah sees from afar that some soldiers are approaching and he advises Yona to hide immediately. They spy on them and catch sight of Li Hazara, the dominant ruler of Sen. Because of this, Yona tells them that they must return to Kouka as she feels that something is amiss.

Shin-Ah as he looks at the Sen Army near Saika

Shin-Ah as he looks at the Sen Army near Saika

They go straight to Saika, the Fire Tribe’s capital, and lurk in the alleys to gather information. They stay at a tavern in the meantime, but as they are just about to get some rest, they receive word that the Sen Army has already invaded Kouka’s borders. The following day, Shin-Ah and Jae-Ha scout the area. While they are jumping, Shin-Ah stops Jae-Ha as they will be detected if they go any further. He tells him that he can see the outside of Saika from where they are and continues to monitor the area, but he stops when Jae-Ha doesn't stop looking at his eyes. He faces away from him, and to his surprise, he sees 2,000 Sen soldiers camping near the Saika Castle who are just being on a standby. The two of them returns to the inn they are staying at and reports everything they saw. Yona decides that they will intimidate the enemy soldiers staying near at Saika to create an opening for the Fire Tribe.

After going through an underground passage, they casually walk into the enemy’s encampment and attack them. While they are fighting, Shin-Ah spots another army, but he notes that they are not coming at Saika. Confused from the opponent’s movements, they step back to discuss what is happening. Hak asks Shin-Ah if the soldiers in the army he saw are injured, to which he answers no, and Hak eventually comes to a conclusion where Sen and the Fire Tribe joined forces to get Soo-Won’s head. Yona, albeit silent at first, chooses that they will stop Sen and the Fire Tribe from causing further damage at Kouka. After Hak gathered some horses, they embark to where the war is happening and join Kouka’s forces. They manage to meet Kan Soo-Jin, but they soon leave when Soo-Won shows up. Afterward, Yoon heals all the injury they got from the battle.

After the Xing Arc, Shin-Ah is shown to have grown more comfortable with his self-consciousness over his dragon eyes. In the chapters following the Arc, it can be seen that he no longer wears his mask around Yona, Hak, Yoon, and the Dragons (as well as Algira and Vold), though he continues to wear the mask in the presence of others. During the Tully Tribe Arc, a blatant display of Shin-Ah’s fondness towards his brothers is shown when he refuses to raise a hand against Zeno. Despite Zeno demanding for him to, he adamantly states that he does not want to harm Zeno, going so far as to say “I will fight against enemies, but I don’t want to hit or cut Zeno.”[22], as well as unhesitatingly replying “That’s fine.” when Zeno angrily inquires of him “So what, I give you a one-sided beat down?!”[23]

Abilities[]

  • Dragon Eyes: With the eyes of the blue dragon, he has the ability to see long distances very clearly, being able to see people and objects miles away.[24] When using the eyes' ability, he has the power to paralyze people when he looks directly into their eyes. His victims are then subject to fatal hallucinations. In extreme cases he can cause their entire bodies to stop functioning, including their hearts.[25] However, he does not have full control over this power and will lose himself to the blue dragon's murderous willpower. When he finishes using this ability, he himself becomes paralyzed as a result, making the power a double-edged sword. [11] In order to avoid unintentionally hurting others with his ability, he wears his mask to cover his eyes. After being possessed by a previous Seiryuu in the hidden cave underground, Shin-Ah gains full control over his dragon eyes. However, he continues to wear the mask (or bandage his eyes) because he feels uncomfortable without it.
  • Swordsmanship: Since his dragon ability is so dangerous, Shin-Ah has trained himself to become a extremely capable and skilled swordsman so that he doesn't have to use his powers. He is able to keep up with Hak and Kija easily. Shin-Ah has been seen to cut through a medium sized tree trunk with relative ease. [26]
  • Education: It appears that Shin-Ah may not be able to read. In the first OVA, he draws the symbol for an onsen to show Yona and her companions, rather than tell them the sign he has seen with his dragon sight in the distant forest.[27] This could be a result from being isolated in his village, and also the villager's fear surrounding Shin-Ah, causing no one wanting to get to close to him.
  • Craftsmanship: Afraid of enemy attacks on his village and not wanting to use his power, Shin-Ah taught himself how to craft various weapons such as bows, arrows, and arrowheads made out of wood and stone. This talent was exceptionally noticed by Hak, who praised Shin-Ah's work on a few arrowheads and said that he would go make them into arrows, which makes Shin-Ah glow with pride at being complimented. It also seems that Kija helps Shin-Ah gather materials, as seen when just as Hak leaves, Kija comes back with a large log of wood, and then proceeds to cut it into smaller pieces for Shin-Ah to craft.[28]

Relationships[]

Ao[]

Ao is the one who was put in charge of Shin-Ah the day after he was born and he is the closest thing that he had to a father. Even though Ao is grumpy and is always pessimistic on him in having friends, he always looked out for him and acts as a backup whenever he is fighting. When Ao died, Shin-Ah was greatly saddened over his death and wished to be together with him again. Despite this, he continued Ao’s duty of protecting the people of his village and always keeps himself on check to never to use his dragon powers. Even though many years have passed since their separation and with the gradual forgetting of Ao’s physical appearance, Shin-Ah still remembers him for the most part. He even wonders if he would be laughing at him as he'd already found the friends that he had been yearning for when he was still a child, when he joins Yona’s journey.[14]

Yoon[]

Whenever someone needs to guard the fort, Shin-Ah is someone Yoon considers to take the position due to how his mask attracts attention.[45] Even with that gag, Yoon knows that making Shin-Ah take off his mask will probably take a long time because his fear will take a long time to get rid to as it is something permanently embedded in Shin-Ah’s mind. That is why whenever a stranger tries to take off Shin-Ah’s mask, he tries to stop them to not make Shin-Ah get nervous.

Ao (Squirrel)[]

Ao is Shin-Ah's pet squirrel that he named after the previous Seiryuu and was his only friend before meeting the others. They met when he was trying to shelter Ao from the rain with a large leaf, which in turn was eaten by the squirrel.[29] She seemed to have followed Shin-Ah after that, even staying with him underground in the complete darkness. She continues to stay with him even after he left the village with Yona.

Jae-Ha[]

Jae-Ha has the habit of bullying Shin-Ah when he tries to look at the latter’s eyes. As the dragon’s eyes are an unimaginable beauty to be seen,[30] he has the urge to see what it looks like given his personality. To achieve this, he tries to take away Shin-Ah’s mask or to look quickly to his eyes when he is not wearing his mask, though, his every attempt is going to waste as Shin-Ah hastily covers his eyes by reflex and is even helped by his pet squirrel Ao at times. At one point, Shin-Ah is possessed and leaves his mask off. Zeno tells him that now is the time to look into Shin-Ah's eyes. Jae-ha admits that he mainly tried to look at his eyes because he liked seeing Shin-Ah's reactions. However, both him and Jae-Ha share a similar insecurity over their respected dragon physical features like Shin-Ah' eyes and Jae-Ha's right foot and doesn't want people to see them except for their friends.

Yona[]

Yona is the first friend Shin-Ah ever has and also the first person who thinks of his eyes as beautiful[31] and not terrifying.[32] Because of this, Shin-Ah cherishes the name he got from her, and seeks to be someone befitting of his given name for Yona someday.[20] Be it because of the dragon’s blood or his will itself, he cares deeply for Yona and always looks out for her safety, but, for this reason as well, he becomes against the idea of teaching her swordsmanship as he fears that she will get hurt after seeing the first time he lend her his sword.[33] He also refused to let Yona help him regain his body when he was possessed by the soul of a previous seiryuu, fearing for her safety.[34] Yona of course refused to leave him behind, and vowed to free him because he was important to her. When worst comes to worst, he will not hesitate to break his promise to Ao and will use his dragon eyes even if he loses himself in the process just to protect her. He was shown enraged multiple times whenever Yona was hurt, showing just how much he cares for her and how protective he can be of her like the others. Shin-Ah is also the most open towards her, and talks the most around her. He sees Yona as family.

Hak[]

Though they don't share many interactions, Hak considers Shin-Ah a capable person.[35] Hak also thinks that as long as Shin-Ah wears his mask, no one can approach Yona easily. When in need of alternative clothing to hide his identity, Hak takes Shin-Ah’s fur and puts it over his head.[36] Hak has never given Shin-Ah a nickname, perhaps because of Shin-ah's more gentle social presence and anxiety. Later, they seem to be quite close, often being shown having casual chats together. Shin-Ah is easily able to tell that Hak is upset following a misunderstanding between him and Yona.

Zeno[]

Shin-Ah is probably the closest to Zeno aside from all other dragons as they are always seen together (mostly because Zeno loves to snuggle in Shin-Ah's fluff) and Shin-Ah seems to feel calm around Zeno. Like the rest of the group, Zeno is heavily protective of him and seems to show a subtle older-sibling-like fondness for him. He continues his habit of nicknaming all of his companions with Shin-Ah, as he only ever refers to him as 'Seiryuu'.

Kija[]

Kija deeply cares for Shin-Ah and considers him as a younger brother. Their bond grew stronger over time as they traveled alongside Yona and lived by their will of protecting her. Kija's attachment towards Shin-Ah is furthermore highlighted when the latter got possessed by the soul of a resentful seiryuu. He showed no hesitation in coming forward and protecting Shin-Ah; he fiercely told the soul to "return [his] younger brother".[37] The two are, without doubt, ready to put their lives on the line for each other.

Algira

Shin ah says goodbye

Shin-Ah says farwell to Algira as they part ways.

Algira appears to be the only person outside of the Happy Hungry Bunch that Shin-Ah feels comfortable around. Algira repeatedly expresses concern for Shin-Ah when he learns he is being held captive along with the other Dragons. Shin-Ah's fondness is shown when he uncharacteristically speaks up on his own to say goodbye to Algira when it's time to part. Algira and his partner Vold are the only other people outside of the Happy Hungry Bunch that Shin-Ah is comfortable enough with to show his face to, as shown in the Tully Tribe arc when he speaks to them without his mask.

Quotes[]

  • (To himself about Yona) "In truth I already knew the moment I saw her. There's a place full of light a to this girl's side." [citation needed]
  • (To himself) "Yona... she's calling for me." [citation needed]
  • (To the Four Dragons) "I will use it. If Yona or any of you are being hurt, I'll use it. No matter who the opponent is. Even if everyone in the world turned on us, I Will Fight." [38]


Trivia[]

  • In the original planning stages for his character, Shin-Ah was supposed to have a more serious, dark personality.
  • He ranked 5th in the character popularity poll conducted by Hana to Yume in December, 2014. He scored 771 votes in total.[39]
  • "Shin-Ah" is a name that means "moonlight" in the language of Kouka.
  • Although he is physically around 17, Zeno has lived for thousands of years, making Shin-Ah the youngest of the current dragons.
  • When he becomes possessed in The Forest Lushing Blue, Shin-Ah finally gains control of his eyesight.[40]
  • It is revealed that he is fiercely protective of the members of the Happy Hungry Bunch, as when the dragons were attacked by the Five Stars, Shin-Ah attempted to use his sight to protect them[41] (despite having said towards Chapter 50 that he must never use them).
  • Out of the dragons, the Seiryuu is the only one that is truly hated as the Ryokuryuu are described as annoying.
  • Between the anime and manga, Shin-Ah and Hak's character designs remain the same. With the other characters, the patterns on their clothing is not present in the anime (excluding the second ending).
  • Shin-Ah's original character design featured him with slightly curved lines going from his forehead down his face, instead of the smaller ones on his cheekbones. Other than that, he looked very much the same.
  • During the course of the story, Hak, Soo-won and Shin-Ah are the same age, being 18 years-old, but Shin-Ah is one month older than Soo-won and almost five months younger than Hak.
  • Shin-Ah's mask and sword are mementos of his former guardian, Ao.
  • Both Shin-Ah, Han Dae, and Abi share the same voice actor.
  • It is clearly shown that Shin-Ah has a big appetite as it is seen that he can devour almost anything served to him. In one of the special chapters where he took in candy which made him go berserk (just like Yona and Kija), it was evident that Shin-Ah's weakness is food as he stopped fighting when Zeno mentioned rice balls. But this behavior could probably just be a result of his years living in a cave and being forced to eat anything for survival.

References[]

  1. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 20, Page 29
  2. Kusanagi Mizuho's Twitter
  3. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 20, Page 25
  4. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 24, Page 8
  5. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 24, Page 35
  6. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 23, Page 7
  7. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 51, Page 27
  8. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 80, Page 13
  9. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 21, Page 2
  10. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 21, Page 12
  11. 11.0 11.1 Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 21, Page 14
  12. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 19, Page 28
  13. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 24, Pages 29-30
  14. 14.0 14.1 Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 24, Page 38
  15. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 25, Pages 28-29
  16. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 49, Pages 15-16
  17. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 49, Page 21
  18. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 50, Page 7
  19. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 51, Page 27
  20. 20.0 20.1 Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 51, Page 32
  21. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 55, Page 9
  22. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 170, Page 9
  23. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 170, Page 10
  24. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 21, Page 11
  25. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 51, Page 7
  26. Akatsuki no Yona Episode 23
  27. Akatsuki no Yona OVA Episode 1
  28. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 153, Page 8
  29. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 38, Page 3
  30. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 96, Page 7
  31. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 23, Page 30
  32. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 23, Page 10
  33. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 47, Pages 9-10
  34. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 108, Page 4
  35. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 18, Page 26
  36. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 26, Page 27
  37. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 108, Page 19
  38. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 134, Page 6-7
  39. Hana to Yume (花とゆめ), 2015/1 edition
  40. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 108
  41. Akatsuki no Yona Chapter 134, Page 7

Navigation[]

v eCharacters
The Dark Dragon and the Happy Hungry Bunch
Members YonaHakYoonKijaShin-AhAoJae-HaZeno
Kouka Kingdom
Royalty King HiryuuJoo-NamMeiYu-HonYong-HiEmperor IlKashiSoo-WonYonaYak-Shi
Generals Han Joo-DohKan Kyo-GaAn Joon-GiTae-WooLee Geun-TaeHak (former) • Kan Soo-Jin (former)
Others Kye-SookMin-SooIk-SooKaya
Tribes
Sky Tribe YonaSoo-WonJoo-NamMeiYu-HonYong-HiEmperor IlKashiYak-ShiHyoo-Ri
Fire Tribe Kan Soo-JinKan Kyo-GaKan Tae-JunYoonHeuk-ChiKil-SungMi-RaeAro
Wind Tribe Son MundokHakTae-WooTae-YeonHan-DaeAyameSaki
Earth Tribe Lee Geun-TaeYun-HoChul-RangTaluguGi-GanYang Kum-JiPirates of AwaYu-Ri
Water Tribe An Joon-GiAn LiliTetoraAyuraHiyou
Dragons
Originals King HiryuuGu-EnAbiShu-TenZeno
Current KijaShin-AhJae-HaZeno
Previous AoGarou
Miscellaneous Characters
Kai Empire Li HazaraKalgan
Tully Tribe Ying KuelboYoo-LanTitia
Sei Kingdom KushibiTuvaluTsubaru
Xing Kingdom KourenTaoVoldAlgiraMizariNeguroYotakaGobiNamsek
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